Shortly after passing my full bike test (3rd time lucky!!!) i quickly brought a DRZ400S and after a few quick mods i set of heading East where my trip would take me across the High Tatras mountains in Slovakia & Poland, across the Carpathian mountains in Ukraine & Romanian, Riding the Caucasus mountains across the Russian Republics of Adygea, Ossetia, Ingushetia & Chechnya, along the Pamir mountains in Kyrgyzstan & Tajikistan in total crossing 23 country's/republics as a total novice

Exact route was a follows

1-England
2-France
3-Belgium
4-Luxemburg
5-France
6-Germany
7-Czech Republic
8-Slovakia (Tatras mountains)
9-Poland
10-Ukraine (Carpathian mountains)
11-Romania (Carpathian mountains)
12-Republic of Moldova
13-Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) This country is not officially a country as most of the word governments don't recognize it but if you ever go there the 2 tanks and border guards with guns will tell you other wise
14-Ukraine (Crimea)
15-Russia
Russian Caucasus Republics
16-The Republic of Adygea
17-The Republic of North Ossetia
18-The Republic of Ingushetia
19-The Republic of Chechnya
20-Georgia
21-Kazakhstan
22-Kyrgyzstan (Pamir Mountains)
23-Tajikistan (Pamir Mountains) where i finished the trip at the Afghanistan border.

For me this was more than just a bike trip but a trip where i would make friends for life, in total on my whole trip i only stayed at a handful of hotels/guesthouses as 90% of the time i got invited back to peoples houses/flats which was a amazing experience.

Where ever possible i would always try to avoid city's and head of to villages or towns as people in these areas always have time for a guest. i also tried to ride as much offroad as possible and as a solo rider i found people would go out of there way to help me.

I started the trip off with a GPS but shortly after leaving Poland my GPS deleted its memory which turned out to be the best thing to happen to me on my trip as using a map forced me to interact with locals (which i got very good at) and also made me try to learn words of the local languages of where i was. Soon it would be the people i met on my trip who would be advising where i should travel to and what places i should visit like shortly after visiting the Republic of Adygea my host said "Wesley you must go visit Chechnya & Ingushetia i will call me friends and it will be safe for you" and at the time of my trip these areas had the following travel warnings

The Republic of Ingushetia
WARNING: Ingushtetia is presently a war zone is most emphatically NOT a tourist destination. Visitors are in fear of murders and kidnappings by government forces, high-profile crimes, periodic civil disorders and bombings. Travellers should consult to their embassy and request expert information before travelling to the region.

The Republic of Chechnya
WARNING Chechnya is most emphatically not a tourist destination and not safe for independent travel or sightseeing. Most foreign governments advise against non-essential travel. Those visiting for business, research, or international aid purposes should consult with their organization and seek expert guidance before planning a trip.

So as the title of this ride reports states this was a solo trip however by chance high up in the North West Caucasus Mountains of Georgia i bumped into the world famous Terry Brown from Cambridge England who i would ride with for a few days and who would teach me the basics of off-road riding (riding whilst standing up/rider position, steering with knees on the tank & engine breaking) that would stand me in good stead for the rest of my trip, also he would fix and adjust my suspension which had been screwed right down from the start of leaving England

He is a few pictures to show what this ride report is about before i get started..... hope you enjoy

This is a bit like a episode of Eastenders, the story and drama is building then a cliffhanger. I love it. The trails and tracks in that part of Slovakia look very nice, and you are quite brave to go it alone in there especially with no off road experience. Cant wait to read more !

Some decades ago, I lost 2 bikes in "mud" : One in a dry lake, never found it...
Another making off road in a highway road construction place. The bike was sucked down , but I had time to use a rope and was able to get it out after more than one hour of crazy work. Reading the first part of you RR, I start to feel a little anxious, as there a difference in between muddy tracks and large parts of mud ,which can hide big holes too...
Happy for you : You won a tractor tour, and saw The Princess of Games of Thrones :eek1:eek1:eek1:eek1
Anyway, I'm sure it reminded personal anxious moments to some AVD riders...

Are you making this stuff up as you go.:>)
I'm finding it hard to believe what I'm reading.
I'm not a drinking man but in your honor I will have a shot of single malt,maybe two.
To your health and safe trip.

Wesley, you're the first person I'm reading here who really tells he's been looking forward not to just pass UA by and come closer to whatever the destination was, but was anticipating smth IN UA))))) few shots waiting for you in Kyiv)))
and if you tell you've seen and remembered smth but the girls - then more then few)))